BrandArena: August 2023

Thursday 31 August 2023

MTN appoints Marina Madale as Group Executive, Sustainability and Shared Value

MTN Group has announced the appointment of Marina Madale as group executive for sustainability and shared value, effective 1st of September, 2023. Marina was previously the group's general manager for sustainability and shared value.

On September 15th, 2023, stakeholders in Africa's sustainability and corporate social responsibility industries will assemble in Lagos to discuss the theme of the 2023 African Brands Congress, "Sustainability, CSR, And Green Goodness."

The African Energy Chamber (AEC) has announced Meshack Tshekedi, CEO of Botswana Oil, as one of the headline speakers to join the African Energy Week (AEW) 2023 conference and exhibition which will take place from October 16–20 in Cape Town. With a robust background in engineering management and a career marked by excellence, Tshekedi brings invaluable insights to the forefront of Africa's energy landscape.

The Game Rangers Association of Africa will hold the announcement of the winners of the renowned African Conservation Awards on September 16th, 2023, at the Southern African Wildlife College.

OPINION: Salvaging poor PR handling of Dapo Abiodun

By Jonathan Olajide

I don't fancy sharing my view in this political circle because of the ever-present conflicts which usually lead to spunky virtual fisticuffs.

Loeries Unveils 2023 Creative Week website

The Loeries has announced the introduction of a new website, which will contain all of the most recent Loeries Creative Week information. Agencies, clients and other stakeholders are encouraged to visit the Loeries 2023 website to meet the judges and learn more about the worldwide jury presidents.

Canon, a leading provider of digital cameras, digital SLR cameras, inkjet printers & professional printers for business and home users, recently launched new additions to its range of innovative home printing solutions, the Canon PIXMA TS7640i and PIXMA TS7740i in a bid to further optimise users workflow within the comfort of their own home. Both models will be compatible with the PIXMA Print Plan subscription where users can save up to 50% on the cost of ink.

The China Development Bank (CDB) today inked a development-focused agreement in Cairo to offer a US$400 million term loan facility to the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) to promote the financing of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Africa.

Stratech Properties Limited, a real estate company, has announced the appointment of Professor Hamman Tukur Sa’ad as new Chairman.

Unified Payment Services Limited, Nigeria’s premier financial technology service provider, has kicked off celebrations to mark its 26th anniversary with a promise to continue to provide seamless payment solutions to its numerous customers.

The Minister of Communication, Innovations and Digital Economy, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani has called on top Artificial Intelligence (AI) researchers from Nigeria to work with the government in the process of crafting a National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy.

9PSB, LSETF Roll Out Financial Literacy and Empowerment Campaign

9Payment Service Bank (9PSB), Nigeria’s digital payment service bank focused on financial literacy and inclusion, in partnership with Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) has taken its financial literacy and empowerment programmes to the residents of Alimosho, Ikorodu and Badagry Local Government Areas of Lagos State.

Domino's Pizza Introduces Ultimate Savings Menu to Reflect Customer-Centric Culture

Domino's Pizza, one of the three sub-franchises of the Eat'N'Go Africa, has announced a price cut on several of its menus to further represent its customer-centric culture in order to ensure that aficionados of its great pizza continue to enjoy more with less.

SBI Media Group, Africa's leading global media agency, proudly announces its 10th-year anniversary of revolutionizing the media landscape. Founded in 2013 by visionary entrepreneur Rotimi Bankole, SBI Media Group has journeyed from its humble beginnings to become a powerhouse with an international footprint. The agency's success story is built upon the pillars of innovation, bravery, and thought leadership.

Everton suffers new financial setback after MSP Sports Capital backed out of minority investment deal

Premier League Club, Everton's hopes of attracting additional funding have been dashed after MSP Sports Capital withdrew from talks, according to emerging reports. The US-based investment group reportedly inked an exclusivity agreement with the Toffees in May.

FIFA to investigate Luis Rubiales for kissing Jenni Hermoso after Spain's World Cup final victory

...RFEF president received calls to quit and apologised for incident during award ceremony

World Football governing body, FIFA has initiated disciplinary proceedings against the president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Luis Rubiales, for his actions during the World Cup final in Sydney.

It is a given that most large enterprises use Active Directory - an on-premises directory service owned by Microsoft - to handle users, applications, data and various other aspects of their network. However, managing and securing Active Directory is extremely complex, particularly at scale within an enterprise, and presents IT security managers with the challenge of keeping threat actors at bay.

The Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), reiterated its continued efforts to substantially boost the state's revenue generation by employing cutting-edge technology and effective campaigning.

The celebrated Africa Tech Festival Awards will be held on 15 November 2023 at the Bay Hotel in Camp's Bay, Cape Town, to honour the achievements of some of the African technology, telecoms, and media industry's most illustrious pioneers and innovative entrepreneurs.

Tranzfar Limited, an international payment solutions provider, focused on remittances, payment infrastructure and digital banking, has announced the expansion of its revolutionary Freedom Account to over 100 countries during a media parley held in Lagos. This major milestone marks a significant step forward in the company’s mission to provide accessible and secure financial solutions to people all around the world.

VP Shettima departs Abuja for 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg

The Vice-President, Sen. Kashim Shettima will today depart Abuja for Johannesburg, South Africa, to attend the 15th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) Summit, which will take place from August 22 to August 24. BRICS countries account for more than 42% of the global population, 30% of global territory, 23% of global GDP, and 18% of global trade.

A consortium led by Transcorp Group has secured a 60% stake in Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC). The decision, authorized by the National Council on Privatisation in May 2023, has positioned Transcorp Group as the fresh energy strategic investor in AEDC.

Nala, a fintech that enables customers to make smooth cross-border transfers from Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States to a variety of destinations across Africa, has announced the addition of Nigeria to its list of remittance destinations.

How a Community Benefits from Industrialisation: The Rite Foods Example

…As the World Marks World Entrepreneurs Day

To acknowledge entrepreneurship and individuals advancing the frontiers across the world, August 21 is celebrated as 'World Entrepreneurs Day' every year. This year's celebration which took place on Monday has once again re-echoed the essence of the pivotal role entrepreneurship and industrialisation plays as epicentres of human and societal development of any nation, thereby validating the vision of Rite Foods in its quest to democratise a holistic economic revolution from agriculture to industrialisation and urbanisation.

Africa’s 620 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas resources have strengthened the continent’s potential to drive economic growth and diversify revenue generation while spearheading global energy security in conjunction with a transition to a cleaner energy future. Underpinned by efforts to monetize domestic gas resources, countries the likes of Algeria, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Angola and Mozambique are actively developing large-scale gas projects while putting in place adequate policy frameworks and infrastructure to support long-term growth.

Giants of Africa Closing Concert: Presented by Spotify

...Davido, Tiwa Savage, Tyla and Bruce Melodie thrill with exceptional performances in Kigali

Spotify partnered with Giants of Africa for the inaugural Giants of Africa Festival, in celebration of the non-profit’s 20-year anniversary. The week-long festival held in Kigali, Rwanda, brought together youth from 16 countries and used basketball as a tool to educate and empower African youths to dream big.

The Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) has named John Olajide as its new Chairman of the Board, effective January 1, 2024. He will succeed Dr. Jeffrey L. Sturchio, who has been CCA Chairman since April 2016 and will continue to serve on the CCA Board.

SIBUR has concluded its first deal to sell carbon offsets generated by a climate project at ZapSibNeftekhim. The agreement enabled QIWI, a major supplier of next-generation payment and financial services, to fully offset its GHG emissions in 2022 (Scope 1 and 2).

Egbin Power commemorates World Humanitarian Day with donations to orphanages

As global attention turns towards acknowledging and addressing challenges confronting efforts to assist underserved people and communities, Egbin Power Plc has donated food items, provisions, and educational materials to orphanage homes in Ikorodu to commemorate World Humanitarian Day 2023.

Three-time women’s grand slam winner Iga Swiatek, has become the latest Visa ambassador to help fund her charity and financial literacy endeavours.

LaLiga and Visit Saudi have entered into a partnership agreement with the goal of promoting Saudi Arabia as the most exciting year-round destination - where the passion for football intersects with bridging connections among diverse cultures, ultimately bringing communities together. The contract is said to be worth "€20 million per year."

To combat the spread of indecent content and propaganda, the Somali government has banned popular platforms TikTok, Telegram, and the online betting website 1XBet. The announcement was made by Communications Minister Jama Hassan Khalif, who emphasised the importance of combating the misuse of these platforms by terrorist organisations and immoral groups for propagating graphic pictures and deceptive information to the public.

Sega has officially completed its acquisition of Angry Birds maker Rovio, paying a cool $776 million for the company. The acquisition was first proposed in April, but both companies had to clear various finalisation and regulatory hurdles.

The Central Bank of Nigeria has amended the operational standards for the country's Bureau De Change Operators. The new modifications were announced by the apex bank in the form of a circular in order to boost the efficiency of the Nigerian foreign exchange market.

As Africa’s mergers and acquisitions (M&A) continue to surge, pan-African supranational multilateral financial institution, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) will host a deal room at the upcoming African Energy Week (AEW) 2023, at the Westin Hotel. This event is set to serve as a pivotal platform for showcasing the region's burgeoning M&A activity, which has been gaining substantial traction in recent years.

Canon Europe has announced the return of its annual Redline Challenge photography competition, with entries opening today.

Xiaomi has announced exciting offers for the highly acclaimed Redmi Note 12 Series with an instant gift and compelling price reductions. Xiaomi is revolutionizing the smartphone market once again with the introduction of an incredible offer that will leave smartphone enthusiasts delighted, Customers can now enjoy an instant gift of a Neck Bluetooth headset once they purchase any device from the Redmi Note 12 Series. This amazing deal also comes with a significant price reduction across the entire Redmi Note 12 Series, making cutting-edge technology more accessible than ever before.

Ingenium Communications, a leading marketing communications agency in Nigeria, has officially introduced a customized marketing bundle designed for Startups and businesses of all sizes called Xcellerate. With a range of tailored service packages, the company aims to arm start-ups and MSMEs with the tools and expertise they need to reach their goals and grow faster.

The African Energy Chamber has announced the “25 Under 40 Energy Women Rising Stars’ - individuals whose dedication, ingenuity and unwavering commitment serve as beacons of hope and pillars of inspiration. These women are redefining the possibilities within a traditionally male-dominated field, and the AEC proudly celebrates the rising stars who are leading the way towards making energy poverty history by 2030.

Investing in Black-Owned Businesses is Investing in the Future

As the world increasingly acknowledges the importance of fostering diversity, equity and inclusion, the Black Impact Foundation’s Global Black Impact Summit (GBIS) – which is organized by Energy Capital & Power - emerges as a beacon of change. With an unyielding focus on economic growth, wealth disparities and generating opportunities for Black communities, investing in Black-owned businesses takes the spotlight as a powerful catalyst for societal advancement.

With his blockbuster move to FC Bayern Munich, global superstar striker Harry Kane completes a trifecta of career upheavals. A new beginning, a new squad, and, most importantly, a new pair of Skechers Football boots, the SKX_01. Throughout the preseason and on his debut with Bayern Munich on Saturday, he was observed wearing a masked version of the boots. Kane, one of the world's most recognisable athletes, has embarked on a long-term partnership with Skechers that goes beyond the field.

The Trade and Exchange Department of the Central Bank of Nigeria has created a Foreign Exchange (FX) Price Verification System (PVS) portal. This action attempts to help importers gain access to foreign currency, addressing the country's chronic currency problems.

The Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN) has established a ground-breaking collaboration with leading business schools and higher education institutions in Nigeria to transform the landscape of marketing education.

Moniepoint, one of Nigeria's leading business banks, has launched a consumer app and debit cards in an effort to spread its dependable banking services beyond the corporate sector and into the hands of individuals. Formerly known as TeamApt, the Digital Financial Services Provider intends to compete with well-established competitors in the personal banking area, Opay and Palmpay.

Telegram has made its Stories feature available to all users, following its initial release to Premium subscribers last month. They show as expandable bubbles above your conversation, similar to Facebook Messenger's Stories. Telegram's approach, on the other hand, is more customisable, with granular control over who sees posted posts and for how long.

Emirates, the world’s largest international airline has announced it will operate an additional five-a-week service to London Heathrow starting from 31 October 2023 until 30 March 2024. This temporary service will meet market demand during the busy winter season and offer customers more travel choices.

Spotify x Giants of Africa: How Nigerian Youth basketball team uses music for inspiration

Popular streaming platform, Spotify, has partnered with Giants of Africa for its 20-year anniversary to bring together music and sports, as a way to inspire the next generation of African youth.

The founder and CEO of CcHub, Dr. 'Bosun Tijani has been appointed by the President Bola Tinubu-led administration as the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy. The list of ministers was announced on Wednesday, August 16, 2023.

Thorsten Achenbach has been appointed as director digital and global solutions at the BMW IT Hub in Menlyn Maine, Pretoria, by BMW Group South Africa. The appointment took effect on Saturday, July 1, 2023. Klaus von der Osten-Sacken is succeeded by Achenbach.

As his office fought for material relating to his account on X, formerly known as Twitter, special counsel Jack Smith requested to analyse former President Trump's direct chats, deleted tweets, and location data.

Thursday 31 August 2023

Tuesday 29 August 2023

Sunday 27 August 2023

Friday 25 August 2023

Thursday 24 August 2023

Wednesday 23 August 2023

Tuesday 22 August 2023

Monday 21 August 2023

Friday 18 August 2023

Thursday 17 August 2023